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Sunday, December 31, 2017

2017. What a year... It has been quite the year in making comics and kids books. Learning the goods and bads of adapting and changing my setup at shows. Recovering from burning out on traveling and doing shows. Learning to believe in myself and my work again. And many, many, more things that are a little more private.

I want to thank everyone that ventures to this page on a regular, hell, or even ever so often. It's appreciated. Whether it's out of spite or love. Thank you.

I always dreamed since I was a little boy of making comics for a living and for the better part of my first ten years as an adult I was lost in doing so. It wasn't until I was let go from my shitty retail job in February of 2012 that I was doing conventions regularly enough that I had the chance to pursue this dream full time. I spent the better part of the following three and half years touring up and down the eastern coast hitting up as many shows as I could getting my name out there and living the life as a freelance artist. But eventually, like Icarus, I burnt out and fell crashing to the sea. Not to sound ungrateful, but the feeling wasn't there anymore. At least not in the way of making fun and interesting prints for people. The market became over saturated with people half as talented selling products that manipulated others work at a lower quality. And the consumers became more and more unaware and uncaring to the craftsmanship of the piece and more into the character their child was looking to have framed on their wall.

I felt lost.

Helpless and hopeless to making new pieces that I would pour hours of my love into to only have looked over for a cheaper priced person with just the face of the character. And at many times, not even the actually artist setup selling them. Just gimmicky foot soldiers sent to whatever show they were told to squeeze more out of a market that was already becoming too crowded.

It wasn't until a year after we had moved into our current residence, along with the birth of my son, that I suddenly had a resurgence in making the art. Only this time it was in making comics again. For some reason it took a very long time to realize that I had gotten so far off course and rapped up in all the sparkle of touring and quick money that I forgot the main purpose - MAKING COMICS.

I needed to go back to making comics again. Books for myself. Things that I had loved and ideas that had been stirring around my head for years. This epiphany led to an explosion of creativity. For every old project revisited to revamp led to three more new ideas for it or completely new projects. I was beginning to start and stop comic pages for new ideas again just so that I could have them down on paper to eventually come back to making. The train had started and I couldn't stop it.

I was working on one book which led to creating another and tying the stories together into a universe. It led to making Kickstarters. Bringing in new and already existing fans to my own personal creator owned worlds of ideas. Not just popculture things from my childhood. My goal was to change my way of life from thinking in terms of worrying where I'll be next year, to creating something that can get me notice that will help build me for where I want to be in the next five.

And I feel that it is working.

When I started my new comic, A.A.I Wars, I set out with only a handful of rules:
1. MAKE IT COOL. A blast from the past of pop culture scifi and monsters. 2. KISS. Keep it simple stupid. I wasn't looking to make the next SANDMAN or become the next JIM LEE. I wanted to make a book that had the same love of comics that I had reading them as a child. Of course story and art ARE important and yes, I made sure to try and make a good story, but nothing ever too serious. and the last 3. HAVE FUN MAKING IT. That's all I wanted. To go back to making comics again and have fun doing it. Nothing where I felt tied down to it and needed to perfect every page or panel. Just have fun.

I took this drive and new found energy and decided that once I had finished the book that I was going to make a Kickstarter campaign to reach out to a new audience. One specifically looking for comics that you didn't normally find on the shelf at a comic shop. Something that you'd only be able to get from the creators themselves from the site or at a convention. When I launched the book. It was funded within the first 24 hrs. Blew my mind. This success only fueled the fire. As the end of 2016 was approaching, I set goals on myself to Kickstart and publish at least six more books by the end of 2017.

It wasn't only comics that I set out to change about myself, but also my table setup at shows too. If I kept with coming out with new books I had theorized that by the end of the 2017 year that my table setup should evolve and replace all the prints. Creating a whole new vibe and presentation that would be my indie comic artist table. I learned very fast how the attendees of conventions now a days are more into the popculture out look of things and not so much into comic books themselves. They love the movies and cartoons, but not enough to respect and read the comics that made those things possible.

This year has been quite the lesson in learning the goods and bads of adapting and changing for shows. Going from making a large profit a few years ago, to making a decent profit a few years later, to now making enough to break even and hopefully a little more than usual. This punch to the gut would be something that probably two years ago would have made me throw in the towel and eventually get another boring shitty job that I never wanted to work.

NOT THIS NEW JASON.

Like Rocky Balboa, I'm learning to just keep getting back up and fighting... I've been progressively planning for the coming year, something I'm still learning to do. And for once in a long time I am very excited. My comic book, A.A.I Wars will have been picked up and getting published by a company I've known and loved for a very long time and am proud to be a part of, I'm getting more responses to being an actual guest at conventions as appose to being "just another print guy in artist alley", I'm starting a Patreon in February, a web comic the same month, and have plans for at least three new Kickstarters.

Of course to a degree I'm probably dreaming too big. Spreading myself too thin and trying to do too much too soon. But honestly, I think that's good. I believe it's what I need right now. It's certainly a lot healthier than going the other route and spreading myself too thin doing every show I possibly can to make a buck. If I can stick towards the goals listed above for the coming year, like I said before, I know it'll launch me into the right direction to putting me where I truly want to be by the next five.

So I leave you all now to return to my art so I can focus on the next comic idea to show you in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

New #Venom art print now available over at my online store: www.jasonflowersart.bigcartel.com and also January 5th at my first convention of the season, Wizard World New Orleans. If coming to the show, I will be a guest this year so use coupon code: JFLOWERS at check out to get 20% off your tickets. For more info visit www.wizardworld.com

Thursday, December 21, 2017

About a week or so ago, the news said we'd be getting an inch of snow. Which, in Georgia, is a pretty big deal since that rarely happens. We were all excited. Well... we ended up getting a foot. Power was out for over the next three days. We had to stay over at a families house and then a hotel. Needless to say, during the first night I managed to draw this by candle light. Enjoy~

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Hey everyone, so this Sunday, Dec. 17th is the Atlanta Comic Convention. It also marks my last show of 2017. So if you live in the Atlanta area and are looking for some good toys, comics, or original local artwork from some great artists, writers, and jewelers, then hit up the show! Only $5 to get in and they will be raffling away a $5000 merchandise reward for one luck winner. You only need your ticket stub from entry to participate. The show is from 11am-5pm. Marriott Hotel - 2000 Century Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30345. For more info click the link below. Hope to see you there!www.atlantacomicconvention.com

Monday, December 4, 2017

While I finish up the last issue of A.A.I Wars (and before I can announce the Publisher), I'm already hard at work on two other books next in line that I'll be releasing in February 2018. One will be a FREE online web comic and the other will be an EXCLUSIVE online web comic. Here's the only peek you'll get at the exclusive book. More details as they come. It's called: The Woods. Enjoy~

Saturday, November 18, 2017

TODAY!!! starts my HUGE $5 print sale!!! Get any print from my website for only $5! Grab them while they last for this is the last year before I get rid of over 30 pieces!!! I've also got deals on my comic books AND new kids book! Head over and pick up some Holiday gifts!

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

So back in June of this year I got the chance to do some work for the new ALIEN sketch card set coming out this month from Upper Deck Cards. I'll be slowly releasing the cards leading to the release date. Here's the first few. ENJOY~

Thursday, November 9, 2017

This weekend come see me in Artist Alley at table 503 in Durham, NC for NC Comicon 2017! I'll have my new Halloween book, A.A.I Wars, a few other books, selling art prints, and doing sketches all weekend. Message if you want to get a commission sketch to pick up at the show. For more info click the website clink below:

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

From NOW until Thursday, November 16 get FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $20 or more!!! Just use coupon code: SHIPPING at checkout. Click the link below to be taken to the website:www.jasonflowersart.bigcartel.com

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

So every year I try Inktober, but between conventions and freelance, I struggle to keep up. This year proved the same. Started out strong, but finishing up the pages to my Halloween kids book, Hello! Fat crow! I wasn't able to do one every day. So those pages were considered my Inktobers since it is considered inking. So I'm done with the book now and back to making them and will be posting them. So here's the first. Creature from the Black Lagoon. ENJOY~

Friday, October 13, 2017

Sorry, nothing new at the moment. Finishing up the art for the Halloween book so it can go to the print. Here's an older print I did of mister Jason Voorhees. You can purchase this print if interested off my website. Click the link to be taken to the page. Enjoy.www.jasonflowersart.bigcartel.com

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Hey Everyone! Wanted to say thank you all once again for helping us reach our $5000 goal mark for my new Halloween kids book, Hello! Fat Crow!

Now that we've reached the necessary amount anything else after this will help with printing and shipping costs. I'm hard at work finishing the last pages to send off to the printers now. We're SUPER close to reaching the free stickers stretch goal of $5500.

So let's make this last 24 hrs count. If you've been hoping to grab a copy and just been putting it off, now's your last chance to do so. Click the link below and head over to the Kickstarter page. If you need any help, email or message me on Facebook and I can walk you through it~www.kickstarter.com/projects/698068505/hello-fat-crow

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Now let's add some stretch goals! Stretch goal 1 - If we reach $5500, every backer of the physical book gets 3 free Hello! Fat Crow! stickers!!!Stretch goal 2 If $6500 or more is met than every backer of the physical book will get a FREE Activity/Coloring Book of Hello! Fat Crow! plus the free stickers! So please help contribute and share the Kickstarter book! Click the link below~

Monday, October 2, 2017

Hey Everyone! Good news!!! We've reached our $5000 goal! This means we've got the book funded!!! But this isn't the end. We've still got a little over three days left to keep pushing and raising as much as we can for the book! So if you were skeptic to contribute or preorder. No need to be anymore. The book is coming out! Click the link below or the picture to be taken to the Kickstarter campaign and pick the reward option that fits you best.

Friday, September 29, 2017

Hey Everyone, we're one week - seven days from our Kickstarter campaign ending for Hello! Fat Crow! We're so close to hitting that $3000 mark! Let's push as much as we can this week getting the book in people's feeds or in their minds.

I've just added a limited amount of ORIGINAL ART PAGE rewards available now for $125. A great amount of items for a great price!

Wanting to upgrade your reward to this option instead of the one you have? No sweat. Just cancel your current campaign contribution and then select this new one.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Hey Everyone, so I promised on my Kickstarter campaign that when we reach over the halfway mark, that I would release the first sixteen pages to the forty-four page story of my Halloween kids book: Hello! Fat Crow! for FREE! So if you want to check it out, click the link listed below or go to www.kickstarter.com and search Hello! Fat Crow!

Friday, September 22, 2017

He's awake... drawing skeletons requires a lot of detail. Man, is it FUN!!! Wanna see more?! Get exclusive behind-the-scene updates on the process and progress of HELLO! FAT CROW! Click the link in my bio page or copy paste link below to become a part of the book ~www.kickstarter.com/projects/698068505/hello-fat-crow

Monday, September 11, 2017

Another GREAT year at Dragoncon, here in Atlanta, GA. I love this show. Not only because I live in the area or the fact that I've been coming since 1998, but because it's seriously one of the best places of cosplay, comics, celebs, sci-fi, horror, action, fantasy, and role playing out there. It's always an honor to be setup in the comic artists and pop culture section and I will NEVER take that for granted. Below are some commissions, my table setup, and my daughter who's 9, stopped by dressed up as Hellgirl. ENJOY~

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JASON FLOWERS is a full-time Freelance Comic Book/ Sketch Card Artist from Atlanta, GA. Currently illustrating his new creator owned book, the A.A.I. WARS. His past work include numerous sketch card sets for UPPERDECK CARDS and TOPPS CARDS for companies like DISNEY and MARVEL. His comic book work has been published in IMAGE COMICS, ARCANA COMICS, and BLACK THUMB PRESS. Between comic and sketch card work, he is constantly creating various designs for clients on t-shirts, logos, album covers and art prints~
For more info:
jasonflowersart.bigcartel.com
instagram.com/jasonflowersart
facebook.com/jasonflowersart